Editing Trafalgar Square (section)

=== Christmas ===
{{See also|Trafalgar Square Christmas tree}}
[[File:Trafalgar Square Christmas tree8.jpg|thumb|upright|The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in 2008|alt=The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree]]

A [[Christmas]] ceremony has been held in the square every year since 1947.<ref name=bbctree /> A [[Norway spruce]] (or sometimes a [[fir]]) is presented by Norway's capital city, [[Oslo]] as London's [[Christmas tree]], a token of gratitude for Britain's support during World War&nbsp;II.<ref name=bbctree /> (Besides war-time support, Norway's [[Olav V of Norway|Prince Olav]] and the country's government lived in exile in London throughout the war.<ref name=bbctree />)

The Christmas tree is decorated with lights that are switched on at a seasonal ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/events/tree-lighting#?tab=map&map=SignificantWeather&zoom=8&lon=-0.12&lat=51.51&fcTime=1362477600|title=Trafalgar Square tree lighting ceremony|publisher=Met Office|access-date=25 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031060337/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/events/tree-lighting#?tab=map&map=SignificantWeather&zoom=8&lon=-0.12&lat=51.51&fcTime=1362477600|archive-date=31 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> It is usually held twelve days before Christmas Day. The festivity is open to the public and attracts a large number of people.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/trafalgar-square-sparkles-blue-as-christmas-tree-lights-go-on-8388954.html|title=Trafalgar Square sparkles blue as Christmas tree lights go on|work=London Evening Standard|access-date=28 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121209052210/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/trafalgar-square-sparkles-blue-as-christmas-tree-lights-go-on-8388954.html|archive-date=9 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The switch-on is usually followed by several nights of [[Christmas carol]] singing and other performances and events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/events/2015-12-03/christmas-trafalgar-square|title=Christmas in Trafalgar Square|publisher=Greater London Council|access-date=21 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209203129/http://www.london.gov.uk/events/2015-12-03/christmas-trafalgar-square|archive-date=9 December 2015|url-status=live|date=5 November 2015}}</ref> On the [[twelfth night]] of Christmas, the tree is taken down for recycling. Westminster City Council threatened to abandon the event to save £5,000 in 1980 but the decision was reversed.<ref name=bbctree>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/for_christmas/_new_year/christmas_decorations/39383.stm|title=Shedding light on Christmas|work=BBC News|date=21 December 1997|access-date=21 December 2015}}</ref>

The tree is selected by the Head Forester from Oslo's [[municipal forest]] and shipped, across the [[North Sea]] to the [[Port of Felixstowe]], then by road to Trafalgar Square. The first tree was {{convert|48|ft|m}} tall, but more recently has been around {{convert|75|ft|m}}. In 1987, protesters chained themselves to the tree.<ref name=bbctree /> In 1990, a man sawed into the tree with a chainsaw a few hours before a New Year's Eve party was scheduled to take place. He was arrested and the tree was repaired by [[Arborist|tree surgeons]] who removed gouged sections from the trunk while the tree was suspended from a crane.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-31-mn-5771-story.html|title=Man Takes Chain Saw to Trafalgar Square Tree, but Tannenbaum Stands|agency=Associated Press|date=31 December 1990|access-date=22 December 2015|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223071915/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-12-31/news/mn-5771_1_tree-square-trafalgar|archive-date=23 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>